Bylaws Revised by Board of Directors on March 31, 2026 

ARTICLE I – NAME 

The name of the Club shall be the Maryland District 30 Democratic Club, Inc. (hereafter  “the Club”). The Club may also be referred to as the District 30 Democratic Club or the  Speaker Michael E. Busch District 30 Democratic Club. 

ARTICLE II – PURPOSES 

The following are the purposes for which this Club has been formed: 

1. To uphold the interests and principles of the Democratic Party; 

2. To support Democratic candidates for office at the local, state, and federal level; 3. To solicit District 30 Democratic candidates for local, state, and federal office  by: 

a. Promoting vacancy announcements in a timely manner when such  opportunities arise; 

b. Sharing candidacy information well in advance of each Primary  

Election in the District; 

c. Hosting at least one meeting, forum, or training session for Democratic  candidates from District 30 prior to each Primary Election; 

4. To educate voters and encourage voter participation in all elections; and 5. To support and help, to the greatest extent possible, people and communities  located in District 30. 

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP 

The membership of the Club shall consist of registered Democrats who have signed up  to join or contribute to the organization in any capacity. Only members who have paid  their dues are considered in good standing and are entitled to: 

1. Vote on matters before the Club; and 

2. Become a member of the Board of Directors and hold office in the Club. 

ARTICLE IV – DUES 

An annual dues fee for the following fiscal year shall be determined by a majority vote of  the Board of Directors no more than thirty (30) days after each annual election.  

1. Dues will be payable once per year, beginning in January, for the Club’s fiscal  year; 

2. The Club’s fiscal year shall begin January 1 and end December 31; and

3. Dues shall be waived for elected Democratic office-holders who apply for  membership in the Club and represent any portion of the 30th District of  Maryland. 

ARTICLE V – OFFICERS 

The Officers of the Club are members of the Board of Directors and shall be President,  Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The duties of the Officers shall be as follows: 

1. The President shall: 

a. Preside at all meetings of the members of the Club and Board of  Directors, providing notice to the Board of Directors in advance if unable to  attend any meeting; 

b. Serve as an ex-officio member of all Standing Committees, except for  the Nominating Committee; 

c. Serve as the liaison to all central committees or appoint a Director to  serve as the liaison for each committee respectively; 

d. Create a financial plan with the Treasurer and Finance Committee after  every annual election of the Board of Directors and Officers. The proposed plan: i. Must be shared with the Board of Directors no more than fifteen 

(15) days after every election and approved by a majority vote of the Board of  Directors; 

ii. Shall take effect from April 1 until March 31, following the  

annual election of the Board of Directors; 

e. Work with the Secretary to see that all organizational materials,  

including books, certificates, documents, and reports, as required, are properly  kept and filed; 

f. Serve as the spokesperson of the Club and manage all correspondence  of the Club; working with the Secretary to manage all communications, including  mail, email, and phone; and 

g. Perform other duties as requested by the Board of Directors, including  assigning duties in the absence of a Board Member. 

2. The Vice President shall: 

a. Maintain the attendance and participation of the Board of Directors; b. Assume the duties of the President in the President’s absence; 

c. Assume the duties of the President should the President leave office  before the expiration of their term; 

d. Assist the President and Secretary with communications, including but  not limited to, mail, email, and phone;

e. Assume the duties of the Secretary in the Secretary’s absence; and f. Perform other duties as requested by the Board of Directors. 

3. The Secretary shall: 

a. Call, record, and keep the vote count of all official decisions by the  Club’s members and Board of Directors; 

b. Record and keep the minutes of all membership and Board of  

Directors’ meetings in a file accessible to the Board of Directors; 

c. Send meeting minutes no more than forty-eight (48) hours following  every meeting; 

d. Be responsible for correspondence of the Club, including but not  limited to, mail, email, and phone; 

i. Work with the President to preserve all organizational materials,  including books, certificates, documents, and reports; 

e. Distribute all meeting notices and documents no more than seven (7)  days prior to the meeting; and 

f. When an Officer or member of the Board of Directors, except for the  Secretary, is being recalled, send a notice to the person(s) of recall and the  Board of Directors of the Club. 

4. The Treasurer shall: 

a. Collect dues and hold the lead responsibility for all monies of the Club; b. Disburse funds of the Club as directed by the Board of Directors; c. Maintain a detailed account of receipts and disbursements and render  

a financial report at the end of the fiscal year or upon the request of the  President of the Board of Directors; 

d. Assist the President and Secretary with communications, including but  not limited to, mail, email, and phone; and 

e. Submit required reports to federal and state authorities, including  financial and tax forms. 

ARTICLE VI – BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

The Board of Directors shall consist of a minimum of 11 Directors. All Directors shall be  members of the Club. The Board of Directors shall include: 

1. The four (4) Officers of the Club, selected from among the members of the Board  of Directors who have served for at least one year: 

a. the President, who shall preside as chairperson; 

b. the Vice President, who shall preside as vice chairperson;

c. the Secretary; 

d. the Treasurer; 

2. A minimum of seven other Directors, two of whom shall be the immediate past  Presidents, if the two immediate past Presidents are available and willing to  serve; 

3. The Board of Directors shall: 

a. Control and manage the affairs and business of the Club; 

b. Be empowered to act on important matters requiring immediate  action, such as communication, fiscal transactions, and voting; 

i. Any Director may make a motion to vote on any appropriate  

business matter, with a required second from another Director, as defined in  Article XI; 

c. Act in the name of the Club only by majority approval of the Board of  Directors; 

d. Appoint Chairpersons of Standing Committees per a nomination and  majority of the Board of Directors; 

i. Create from time to time such additional committees, which  

shall require a Bylaw amendment, and subcommittees as the Board of  Directors deems necessary; 

e. Meet at least four (4) times each year, and additionally at the call of the  President or a majority of the Board of Directors; 

f. Provide advance notice of any absence to the President and Vice  President and/or Secretary; 

g. Work with the Club’s membership, and if deemed appropriate, elected  officials, central committees, Democratic clubs, and local organizations in the  District to create and formalize a platform and/or vision for the Club and/or the  Democratic Party; 

4. A quorum of the Board of Directors shall consist of a majority of the Board of  Directors, with the President and at least one additional Officer of the Club. 

5. Executive Committee: The Officers of the Club, together with the two preceding  immediate past Presidents (if available) and the standing committee chairs,  shall constitute an Executive Committee authorized to act on behalf of the Board  of Directors between Board meetings as needed. The Executive Committee shall  meet regularly (approximately monthly, or as determined by the Board) to  manage the day-to-day operations of the Club in accordance with the Board’s  approved policies and annual work plan. The Executive Committee shall report its actions to the Board of Directors, and any significant actions taken between  Board meetings are subject to review or ratification by the Board. 

ARTICLE VII – NOMINATIONS, ELECTIONS, TERMS AND VACANCIES 

1. Nominations: The Board of Directors shall appoint a Nominating Committee of  at least three (3) members, all of whom must receive nomination and a majority  approval of the Board of Directors. The committee shall present the names of  prospective candidates for the Board of Directors and Officers of the Club no  more than thirty (30) days prior to the date of the election of the Board of  Directors and Officers, as defined in Article VIII, Section 3. The names of the  nominees shall be included in the notice of the election of the Board of Directors  and Officers. This notice shall be sent to all members of the Club and to the  candidates for the Board of Directors; 

2. Election of the Board of Directors and Officers: The election of the Board of  Directors and Officers of the Club shall take place each year at the Annual  Meeting of the Club, as defined in Article VIII, Section 3. The Nominating  Committee shall submit names of candidates for the election of the Board of  Directors and Officers, which shall be shared and voted on by the members of  the Club in good standing. (Any person nominated to serve as an Officer of the  Club must have served as a member of the Board of Directors for at least one (1)  year prior to election, as defined in Article VII, Section 6.); 

3. Directors’ Terms: The terms of members of the Board of Directors of the Club  shall be for one (1) year with a three (3) year term limit. If nominated by a  member of the Club in good standing, and upon a majority vote from the  members of the Club in good standing, a Director may serve up to an additional  two (2) years, in one-year terms; 

4. Officers’ Terms: The terms of the Officers of the Club shall be for one (1) year  with a two (2) year term limit, except that the Treasurer, upon a majority vote  from the members of the Club in good standing, may serve up to an additional  two (2) years (in individual one-year terms). Eligibility to Vote in Elections: A  member of the Club shall be eligible to vote at the Annual Meeting in the election  for members of the Board of Directors if: 

a. The person has paid dues for the current fiscal year and has been a  member of the Club in any prior fiscal year; or 

b. The member joined the Club for the first time in the current fiscal  year and fully paid membership dues by the membership meeting  immediately prior to the Annual Meeting;

5. Vacancies and Removal from Office: A vacancy in the office of the President  shall be filled by the Vice President. If the offices of President and Vice President  both become vacant, the Treasurer may assume the role of President, and the  Secretary may assume the role of Vice President. The Secretary of the Club may  assume the role of President, upon such vacancy, if the Treasurer is not  available or willing to serve. If an Officer vacancy occurs where no member of  the Board of Directors who is available and willing to serve as an Officer has yet  served one (1) year on the Board of Directors, a Director who has not met the  one-year requirement may be nominated by any member of the Board of  Directors and appointed by a majority vote of the Board to fill the vacancy until  the next election of Officers; 

a. Other vacancies on the Board of Directors shall be filled by a majority  vote of the Board of Directors; 

i. An appointment to fill a Director vacancy may only take place up  to one hundred twenty (120) days after the most recent election of Officers; b. In the case of a vacancy in a Director position, the appointee shall  serve until the next Annual Meeting and, if elected at that time, shall then begin a  full one-year term as a Director; 

i. Any Director appointed (and not elected by the membership)  

who wishes to continue serving must submit their candidacy to the Nominating  Committee and receive a majority vote of the Club members at the Annual  Meeting, as provided in Article VIII, Section 3; 

c. Any Officer or Director may be removed by a two-thirds (⅔) vote of the  Board of Directors or by a majority vote of the members of the Club in good  standing; 

i. When any Officer or Director, except for the Secretary or  

President, is subject to a recall vote, the Board of Directors must be notified and  an emergency Board meeting shall take place no more than thirty (30) days after  the recall request is submitted; 

ii. The President shall set the date of such a meeting based on the  

Board of Directors’ availability, and the Secretary shall send notice of the  meeting to the person(s) facing recall and to all Board members no more than  twenty-four (24) hours after the President is notified of the recall request; and iii. In the case of a recall of the President or Secretary, the Vice  

President shall assume the role of President and the Treasurer shall assume the  role of Secretary (until a new election is held). 

ARTICLE VIII – MEETINGS

1. Regular Meetings of the Club: Regular meetings shall be held generally on a  monthly basis (at least ten (10) times per year), unless otherwise determined by  the Board of Directors. The purposes of the meetings shall include, but not be  limited to, the transaction of Club business, the education of the membership,  and the promotion of the Club’s activities and events; 

2. The Board of Directors shall decide the dates, times, and locations of meetings; 3. Annual Meeting: The Annual Meeting of the Club shall take place in March of  each year on a date determined by the Executive Committee. This meeting shall  be for the purposes of electing the Board of Directors and Officers of the Club,  receiving reports from the officers and committee chairs, and such other  business as may be deemed proper; and 

4. Work Plan and Budget Meeting: At the April monthly meeting of the Club  following the annual meeting, the President will present to the membership the  annual work plan and budget for the April 1 through March 31 term approved by  the Board of Directors. 

5. A quorum for the transaction of business by members shall be at least thirty  percent (30%) of the members of the Club in good standing, including the  President and/or Vice President. 

ARTICLE IX – COMMITTEES 

Committees of the Club shall consist of Standing Committees and such other ad hoc  committees or subcommittees as the Officers or the Board of Directors may deem  advisable to create from time to time. Only the creation of new Standing Committees  shall require a Bylaws amendment. A representative of each Standing Committee, ad  hoc committee, or subcommittee shall, at the request of the President or the Board of  Directors and with at least seventy-two (72) hours’ notice, report on the activities of that  committee at meetings of the Board of Directors or of the general membership. The  Standing Committees of the Club shall be as follows: 

1. Finance Committee: The Finance Committee shall be responsible for the  financial affairs of the Club, and working with the President to create an annual  budget. The chairperson of the Finance Committee shall be the Treasurer of the  Club; 

2. Membership and Outreach Committee: The Committee shall be responsible for  the recruitment, enrollment, and maintenance of the membership. The  Committee shall: 

a. Lead efforts to reach out to all communities in the 30th District so that  the membership of the Club can, to the extent possible, reflect the goals, 

demographics, and interests of all Democrats within District 30; 

b. Be responsible for membership email blasts and maintaining the  Club’s website; 

3. Events & Programming Committee: The Events & Programming Committee shall  be responsible for planning the program for each general membership meeting  and for planning the program of any events scheduled by the Club; 

4. Political & GOTV Committee: The Political & GOTV Committee shall be  responsible for organizing the resources of the Club and its membership to  support Democratic candidates in campaigns and on all election days. Activities  of the Committee may include, though not limited to, recruiting and managing  leaders and volunteers to serve as poll watchers and election judges, organizing  get-out-the-vote activities, voter registration drives, canvassing, literature drops,  and training for these and other programs; and 

5. Fundraising Committee: The Fundraising Committee shall be responsible for  raising funds to support Club activities and annual goals. 

6. Committee Chairs: The chair of each Standing Committee, and of any ad hoc  committee or subcommittee, shall be appointed by a majority vote of the Board  of Directors (with the exception that the chairperson of the Finance Committee  shall be the Treasurer, as noted in Article IX, Section 1). 

ARTICLE X – ENDORSEMENT OF POLITICAL CANDIDATES 

Members are encouraged to work and campaign for Democratic candidates in general  and primary elections. 

1. The Club, with the majority approval of the Board of Directors, may endorse or  offer other public support for candidates of the Democratic Party for public  office in the General Election. 

a. A two-thirds (⅔) vote of the Board of Directors, and a majority vote of  the members in good standing of the Club, shall be required for the Club to  endorse or offer public support to an independent or unaffiliated candidate; 

b. A majority vote of the Board of Directors and a majority vote of the  members of the Club shall be needed to rescind an endorsement or withdraw  support of a candidate, and; 

2. The Club shall not endorse any candidate for nomination in a Democratic  Primary, unless there is only one Democratic candidate for the position and that  candidate receives a majority approval of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE XI – RULES OF ORDER 

Meetings of the Club and of the Board of Directors shall be governed by the rules  contained in Robert’s Rules of Order – Newly Revised, in all cases where they are not  inconsistent with these Bylaws. 

ARTICLE XII – AMENDMENTS AND VOTING 

1. Amendments: These Bylaws may be amended, revised, or repealed by at least a  majority vote of the members in good standing present and a two-thirds (⅔) vote  of the Board of Directors present at a meeting called for that purpose (unless  prohibited by governmental order): 

a. Any member of the Board of Directors may propose an amendment,  revision, or repeal of the Bylaws to the Board of Directors and Officers for  consideration by the membership. At least a majority of the members in good  standing are still required to approve any amendment, revision, or repeal of the  Bylaws; 

b. The Board of Directors shall present any proposed amendment,  revision, or repeal, along with notice of the meeting, to all members at least  thirty (30) days prior to the meeting at which a vote will take place on the  proposal; and 

2. Voting at Meetings: Votes on any matter of Club business shall be conducted in  person or, if deemed necessary and accessible to the members of the Club, via  a virtual meeting platform. 

Dates: 

1. Date of incorporation: February 1, 2021 

2. Date Bylaws approved: December 23, 2020 

3. Date of amendment: March 31, 2026

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